Struggling with the heat

[Julie & Kirby]

My labradoodle is 5 months old and is experiencing the 80 degree temps for the first time and is not liking them.  If I take him out in the morning for our walk, he handles the temps and a variety of distances without issues.  But if we go out in mid-afternoon, he can't even handle a short distance without seeking a piece of shade and laying down and refusing to continue the walk.  And even laying around the house (which is relatively cool), he appears to be doing more panting and seeking out the cool tile of the house.

I am taking him to get groomed tomorrow and the groomer was just going to do trimming of feet, nail trim and bum cut just to get him familiar with the groomer, etc.  But I am wondering if I should take some of this coat off of him and if it will help him in the heat.  He is looking pretty scraggly and I wouldn't be upset trim some more of this hair off.  I was going to wait until closer to summer, but we are having unseasonably warm temps and maybe I just need to do it now?

Will it help?

[K and Racey]

It certainly can't hurt. I would give it a shot.

IMO some dogs just don't like being hot (just like some people don't). Racey hates being hot. She'll jump into a snowbank and dig down into it for her ball, but if it's hot out, forget it. She just isn't interested. My sisters dog on the other hand loves being hot and will go find the hottest place in the house and lay down there and will pant and smile.

[Dara and Hendrix]

Hendrix absolutely hates the heat. We live in NYC and last summer he refused to go outside during the day. He would only go for a walk after dark. And even then it was iffy that he would go more than two city blocks. I took him to the groomer every four to five weeks from mid may to mid september. The groomer shaved him down to about 3/4 of an inch of hair so he could be as comfortable as possible. He still didnt care for temperatures above 75 degrees. He is really a winter dog who can stay out for hours in 20 degree weather.

[K and Racey]

At least Racey isn't the only one. She stays outside for hours at a time. The neighbors have called animal control bc they thought we were locking her outside when it was between -15F and +10F.

I had to keep explaining to animal control that we have a doggy door, there is no possible way for her to lock herself outside when we are at work. She just likes being cold.

[Karen Kramer]

We live in Ohio and we are also having unseasonably warm temperatures...and with that, as much as I love the look of our doodles long hair, we decided to shave them down to 5/8".  I believe it does in fact help cool them off, as they develop a new "spunk" afterwards and seem more willing to play.  And when inside, it makes them want to cuddle more...which we love  :)  I would say go for it, as long as the dog will tolerate the clippers/grooming, it would be worth trying.  And it will always grow back in time.  :)  

[Julie & Kirby]

Thanks for the advice.  As it turned out, it didn't really matter.  I knew that he had some matts on the top of his head, but thought I had kept up with the rest of him but no.  He had to be shaved down.  All my slicker brushing was doing was brushing right over the matted hair and I had no idea.  He has such a tight curl and it when it was getting wet, it was matting and I wasn't combing it out - just using the slicker brush.  I've spent some time in the Grooming forum and am considering one of the Les Pooch brushes. 

 

So now poor Kirby has no hair and he isn't at all like I pictured, but it will grow, right?  And, of course, we haven't had the hot days since (we are also in Ohio) so I haven't been able to see if he is doing better in the heat yet.

[K and Racey]

Don't worry Julie- hair grows! And it grows fast. It'll be grown back out in no time and you'll be wishing it grew more slowly!